9699 · 11.3
Religion as a source of social change flashcards
Revision flashcards for Cambridge 9699 Religion as a source of social change (syllabus 11.3). Flip, recall, then mark a real past-paper question.
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Weber — Protestant ethic?
Calvinist asceticism + predestination → rational capitalism spirit.
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Liberation theology?
Catholic movement linking faith to poverty and political liberation (Latin America).
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Maduro?
Religion can be revolutionary force for oppressed when linked to class struggle.
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Civil rights movement?
Black churches provided leadership, solidarity, moral framing (MLK).
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New Christian Right?
Conservative political activism — abortion, family values — change from the right.
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Weber vs Marx on religion?
Weber — ideas can drive economic change; Marx — religion reflects material conditions.
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What is the 'Protestant Ethic'?
A set of values identified by Weber, originating from Calvinist Protestantism. It emphasised hard work, discipline, asceticism (self-denial), and saving, which Weber argued fostered the 'spirit of capitalism'.
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Define 'elective affinity'.
Weber's term for the non-causal but meaningful connection or resonance between certain religious ideas (like Calvinism) and the ethics of a particular economic system (like modern capitalism).
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What is Liberation Theology?
A movement within the Catholic Church, primarily in Latin America, that interprets Christian teachings as a call to liberate the poor from political, economic, and social oppression. It combines theology with elements of Marxism.
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According to Steve Bruce, what two key roles did religion play in the American Civil Rights Movement?
1. It acted as an ideological resource, providing moral justification and shaming opponents. 2. It served as an organisational hub, providing meeting places, leadership, and channels for communication and mobilisation.
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What is meant by a 'theodicy of disprivilege'?
A religious explanation and justification for suffering and inequality. Weber argued that such theodicies can sometimes encourage, rather than inhibit, social change by promising rewards in the afterlife for earthly struggles.
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What is a 'calling' in Weber's theory?
The Calvinist idea that one has a duty or vocation to perform work in the world to glorify God. This sanctified worldly work and discouraged a monastic, withdrawn religious life.
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Who was Oscar Romero?
An Archbishop in El Salvador and a key figure associated with Liberation Theology. Initially conservative, he became an outspoken critic of the military government's human rights abuses after witnessing the suffering of the poor. He was assassinated in 1980.
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What is the 'dual character' of religion?
Engels' idea that religion can have a dual character: sometimes it inhibits change by legitimising inequality, but it can also be a source of resistance for the oppressed, providing a shared identity and moral code to challenge the powerful.
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What is the 'principle of hope' (Bloch)?
Neo-Marxist Ernst Bloch's view that religion can inspire social change by offering a vision of a better world (utopia). This 'principle of hope' can motivate people to strive for social change on earth.